Can test any attached disk partitionChoice of number of tests to run for final test figureChoice of size of file to test

Cons

Not initially obvious what to do to get the thing started, clicked 'All' eventually.

You have to have your wits about you to avoid installing the CandyLabs rubbish. However you are given the choice and always read what's on the panel. That way you get only what you want, namely CrystalMarkDisk.

OpenCandy is not spyware. It shows you an ad for some other legitimate software during CrystalDiskMark installation, and you have the option of installing or not installing the other software. That is all it does; it is not even installed on your system. You are unhelpfully spreading fear and confusion, not to mention lies. CNET should delete your review.

To get CrystalDiskMark without the add-on "Open Candy" ad-ware go to this link: http://crystalmark.info/download/index-e.html Scroll down to CrystalDiskMark and select the "Portable (zip)" version to download. Then right-click the downloaded file and choose "Extract all". The un-zipped folder contains regular and 64-bit versions. Double-click on the one you want to run. No adware or spyware in that version.

Very useful benchmark test especially for SSD drives. Unlike ATTO benchmark, this one uses more realistic tests including incompressible data. The most important numbers for eveyday computing are the "4K Random" Read and Write results. Another very realistic benchmark is called AS-SSD, also free. It's designed specially for SSDs and provides a numerical score you can easily compare to other SSDs.

Cons

This version from CNET includes Open Candy software which sends you targeted ads from a network participating merchants. If you don't want this ad-ware then go to the publisher's website (shown above) and download the Portable version instead.

Summary

There's a lot of very good free software where they bundle in one or more extras such as toolbars, ad-ware, etc. Usually, you can un-check a selection box during install to avoid installing the unwanted extras. Sadly, this version of CrystalDiskMark forces Open Candy ad-ware on you.

Great review...contributes important input. I downloaded the portable zip from sourceforge scanned with Avast, Superantispyware and malwarebytes...got just what I expected No adware, malware or spyware reported...just as you said.

Installs a malware called OpenCandy, which is often described as virus in many sources on the Internet. There's no way to choose to avoid it, as the EULA's for the main program and the virus are bundled in one and if you agree to accept the terms of one, you accept the virus installation automatically. Do not download it, download the portable version of CrystalDiskMark instead. It's free of infections and works fine.

I will never recommend use of these applications unless you can obtain an older version which is not bundled with such terribly invasive adware. Frankly, I never really trusted CNET downloads but this will cause me to recommend against using CNET when possible, and just downloading from the author's site or from another archive/mirror.

I will be checking all my other essential tools and making sure I have copies that don't have all this trash attached. I recommend anyone who uses small applications like this to keep a trusted copy backed up somewhere.

The application itself works fine and is simple. I used it to verify the read and write speeds of SDHC and SDXC cards. But beware...

Cons

A "entrusted search" toolbar is installed in the background and without permission; there is no opt-out step. It will take over your default search page as well, and did this in IE9 despite my having checked the option to prevent those very changes. After uninstalling the toolbar, the piece of crap is still in the list of search providers and will not allow a removal. Searching for a solution led me to the entrusted ourtoolbar website where they instruct you to reinstall the toolbar, reboot, and retry uninstallation. Unacceptable.

Summary

If I'd know the hassle the entrusted toolbar was going to cause, I would've downloaded one of the other disk benchmark apps. I would rather pay for software than have to put up with this crap. Would give it negative stars if I could.

I've used Crystal apps for many years... Unfortunately, it has been a long time and I forgot that the author provides clean and free versions of the apps as well as AD-INFECTED releases of his apps.. If you head to his site and view Downloads, you will see that he clearly indicates which ones have OpenCandy, the ADWare with this installer, and which ones don't...

Do not install using this installer - it will install OpenCandy, which will in turn hijack your browsers and install additional adware applications on your system... New install of Windows 8 - infected within 30 mins of boot because I wanted to test my SSD... I've now spent 30+ mins removing everything OpenCandy installed and am still scanning with Panda, MalwareByes and Avast to ensure that I've got it all - UGH!

So, again, head to the author's site and get one of his packages that doesn't have "OpenCandy" next to it - just don't use this unless you really like adware installed on your machine :P

Cons

COMES WITH OpenCandy ADWare!!!

Will hijack every browser on your machine and install adware on your system (located in 5 folders on my machine - intentionally placing in multiple places to reduce removal, if you ask me...)

Summary

Crystal* tools are great.. Generally do exactly what they say and do it well.. Unfortunately, author does release some installer packages (like the one linked here) that have OpenCandy AdWare with them... If you go to the author's site, you can download an alternative package that doesn't have OpenCandy and then you get a great utility without the mess..

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